The Trees of Orion

When humanity reached for the stars, nobody was certain what they would find. Would there be aliens? Would there be habitable planets? Would there be anything at all? The theories were diverse, scientists, philosophers, and priests arguing endlessly.

Nobody expected to find dryads.

When the news reached Earth, the first assumption was that it was some kind of sick prank. But as more and more reports came from the initial colony, it slowly became apparent that this was the truth. There were dryads, creatures of myth, and they lived in space.

Slowly, over time, the truth emerged. Magic was real, and common to almost all planets. Earth was one of the few planets to have driven it out completely. As the Renaissance and the Enlightenment arrived, so too did magic and magical creatures leave. Elsewhere in the universe, however, they flourished.

Now, however, is the time for more practical concerns. You have been sent on a diplomatic mission, to negotiate with the dryads where the initial colony ship landed. Your ship has been crewed with diplomats… and generals, with orders to begin orbital bombardment if negotiations fail. It is up to you to see that that does not happen.